Kim Kendall leads Florida lawmakers supporting Greg Steube aerospace modernization effort

State Rep. Kim Kendall led more than a dozen Florida Representatives to lobby the federal government on modernizing Florida’s air and space system.

The St. Augustine Republican rallied lawmakers to sign onto a bipartisan letter^[1] led by U.S. Rep. Greg Steube to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Federal Aviation Administrator Bryan Bedford calling for the creation^[2] of an Airspace Coordination Team (ACT).

That newly created team would look at improvements to radar and other air traffic infrastructure. The high number of space launches in Florida creates urgency to the matter, the letter reads.

Kendall, a former Federal Aviation Administration (FAA^[3]) air traffic controller^[4], said Florida lawmakers also have an interest in the matter.

“Florida must act now as a unified front if we want to ensure we stay at the cutting edge of air and space innovation,” Kendall said.

“This is yet another opportunity for Florida to take the lead and become even more of a force to be reckoned with, not just here at home but around the world. My fellow freshman House members and I had a productive and rewarding time during our trip to Washington, and we are so grateful to all the public officials and industry leaders we met with for taking the time to speak to us and hear about our passion for Florida’s aerospace industry.”

The letter’s recommendations include certification of the FAA’s Space Data Integrator as operational and the establishment of defined overlay mapping. These steps would enable military, FAA and commercial space companies to expand and operate at full or near capacity.

The letter carries the signatures of Florida House Speaker-designate Mike Redondo and state Reps. Yvette Benarroch, Omar Blanco, Bill Conerly, Anne Gerwig, Sam Greco, Kendall, Jennifer Kincart Jonsson, Monique Miller, Danny Nix, Vanessa Oliver, Michael Owen, Bill Partington, Judson Sapp and Meg Weinberger. All are Republicans elected to the House in 2024.

Steube notably gathered a bipartisan group of lawmakers from Florida to sign onto the letter.

“From Cape Canaveral to the Suncoast, Florida is the cornerstone of America’s vibrant aerospace sector,” said Steube, a Sarasota Republican.

“As the world continues to push past the boundaries of earth, it is critical that we preserve Florida’s leadership role in the global space race. I am honored to join the Florida delegation in calling for Secretary Duffy and FAA Administrator Bedford to improve the efficiency and security of air and space travel by modernizing their respective agencies.”

Republican U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody signed the letter. So too did Republican U.S. Reps. Aaron Bean, Gus Bilirakis, Vern Buchanan, Kat Cammack, Mario Díaz-Balart, Byron Donalds, Neal Dunn, Randy Fine, Scott Franklin, Carlos A. Gimenez, Mike Haridopolos, Laurel Lee, Anna Paulina Luna, Brian Mast, Cory Mills, Jimmy Patronis, John Rutherford, María Elvira Salazar and Daniel Webster.

Democratic U.S. Reps. Jared Moskowitz, Darren Soto and Debbie Wasserman Schultz also signed.

Space Coast lawmakers in particular saw value in taking action.

“Florida’s Space Coast is the heart of America’s space and aerospace industry,” said Haridopolos, whose district includes Kennedy Space Center.

“To sustain that success, we must modernize our systems and strengthen coordination to protect our airspace. As launches grow more frequent, our technology and infrastructure must evolve to meet the pace. Creating an Airspace Coordination Team will make Florida’s skies safer, our launches more efficient, and our economy stronger. Florida should lead the world in how we manage airspace, streamline operations, and ensure safety.”

Kendall and the other lawmakers traveled to Washington for meetings with the State Department, Space Force, Transportation, Secretary of the Navy and NASA, as well as leaders of the private company SpaceX^[5]. The lawmakers also met with members of Congress.